Flexible waste-pipe cleaner



Aug. 9

F. E.l GROSVOLD FLEXIBLE wAsTE PIPE CLEANER Filed 'June 4, 1926 NvENToR ,Z7 llama/6l i A''roRNx-:Ys

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`Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENToFFicE.

FRED E. GROSVOLD, F EAU' CIiAIRE, WISCONSIN.

FLEXIBLE WASTE-PIPE CLEANER.

Application led June 4,

My invention relates to a waste-pipe cleaner of the type having a head mounted on a shank formed of wire coil;

The general object of my invention is toy provide a pipe cleaner ot the indicated type improved in various particulars including a novel head calculated to effectively clear the pipe when forced forwardly -there' through and to provide a stitl'ener for the l'J iexible shank of `such form and such relation to the wire coil as to prevent the coil from unduly spreading and to prevent the convolutions thereof from kinking.

The nature of my invention andvits dis- 5 tinguishing features and advantages will 2" ingsare merely illustrative of one example.

clearl appear as the description proceeds.

Re erence is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of -this specification, it being understood that the drawof the invention.v

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a flexible waste-pipe cleaner formed in accordance 'with my invention indicating the adaptaj 25 bility of the same to be passed through a' pipe having rightfangular bends; f

Fi e 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectiona view with partl broken out;

Figure 3 is a cross section on the line` tionf At the front end the Vcoils are en-4 larged as at 11 and the -forward convolution v of said enlarged portion 11 abuts against the base 13 ofa head'12, said head being formed' with bars 14 at right angles tofeach' ,other and leaving the-openings 15 'between the bars. The bars 14- converge from lthe base 13 to the pointed front end of4 said head 12. r L

Extendin longitudinally within the hollow and co ed shank 10 is a flat spring V16. On said spring 16 at the front end is a ball '17\ disposed within the enlarged coils 11 of shank- 10. It is 'to bel observed that the ball 1'( is free from .the head 12 so that the head and ball may have independent rela- 1926. Serial No. 113,769.

tive movement when the tool is passed through bends of "a pipe, said. pipe being indiciated by dot-and-dash lines at Ain Figure The. rear end of the shank 10 has a cap 18 whlch constitutes a rigid handle end for manipulating the tool. The cap 18 embraces the rear coils of the shank,10 and the rear end of spring 16 passes through said cap and 1s secured to the cap by a transverse pin 19. v t

It will be noted from the left of `Figure 2 that there is a space between the closed end of the cap 18 and the adjacent convolution of the spring shank 10'. rThe Space indicated approximately measures the total extent to which the convolut-ions of the coil may separate and therefore the kinking or deformation of the4 convolutons is prevented. This is so because the ball'l? while it permits free movement of the fenlarged coil 11 transverselyas indicated in Figure 5` :lorl example, in the'lateral deflection of the pllot head V12, limits 'the longitudinal movement of the ball 17 and spring 16 except as the space at the rear end of the shank 10 between the same and the end of cap 18 permits. The flat sprinn 16 is eii'ective in restoring the normalcy of the shank 10 after a lateral bending or after the limited distension permitted the shank. The ball 17 takes the thrust of the head 12 at the base -13 in forcing the tool through the pipe. `Any suitable means or method may be employed to unite the front one of the enlarged convolutions 11 to the base 13 to sustain said head in position nd to cause the head to be restored to itsno al position with the reaction of the coils lateral o bending stresses. v

The assemblage including the ball `17 and' enlarged coil 11 as well as the independence of the head r12 permits the head to take ter subjecting the same to any even a right angular bend with regard to` the normal axis of the shank and the. Shank 10 partakes of the rightangular bending or deflection ofthe head 12 in being forced through a pipe.

@The form of the pilotv head 12 with vits convergent sepa-rated bars and base provides the necessary` strength and gives the head a form for eii'ective'- penetration ofthe collected matter in a pipe becausethe bars when the shank .is turned, and the pilot head turned with it, will cause loosening up ioc v.claim of the matter collected in the pipe, said matter having free entrance in the openings Apresented between the bars 14. i

I would state furthermore that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do, not limit myself strictlyv to the exact details henein illustrated, since, manifestly the same 'can "be considerably varied Without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, I

1. A n aste-pipe olea-nine device including a shank formed ofa spring coil, the convolutions of which at the front end of the vshank are enlarged, a pilot head held'to end of the shank and having its end sep-l 0 arated from the adjacent end of the shank by an intervening space, an elongated spring extendingr longitudinally through the shank from said cap to said enlarged convolutions of the shank, and a ball on said elongated spring and disposed Within the said enlarged convolutions of the coil.

2. A cleaning device includingl a shank formed of a springcoil `pilot.v means on said shank at the front end, an element fitting the rear lend of the shank and having its end separated `from the adjacent end of the shank by an intervening space, a plate spring secured to said lelement on the rear end of the shank and extending to near the 85 front end of the shank, anda ball on said springvw'ithin the front end of the Shank.

FRED E. GRosvoLD. l 

